On February 24, a coalition of religious organizations, including the Sikh Temple of Sacramento (also known as the Gurudwara Sahib) won a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration’s plan to conduct immigration raids in houses of worship. Quakers and a group of Baptist churches were also a part of this coalition that argued that houses of worship must be protected from federal immigration operations to protect immigrants’ right to worship.
Previously, a January 20 memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security Acting Director Caleb Vitello rescinded protections for houses of worship and other sensitive areas, clearing the way for federal immigration authorities to conduct raids and visits at these sites. Sikh organizations like SALDEF criticized this move.
“Central to the concept of a gurdwara, including Sikh Temple Sacramento, is that all people must be welcomed without fear,” states the court filing issued by the plaintiffs. “Sikhs believe that people of all faiths worship one divine being who created this world and lives within it. The divine is equally present in all people, and every human is equal in the eyes of God—whatever their religion, social identity, or immigration status.”
The court filing goes on to say that the rescission of protections and reports of ICE raids in houses of worship has created an atmosphere of fear among immigrants who wish to worship at these holy sites.
In response, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chang has issued a preliminary injunction against federal immigration authorities staging operations at houses of worship associated with the plaintiffs, ruling that immigration enforcement actions will hinder the plaintiff’s ability to conduct communal religious services.